The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus that can read out an image from an original copy sheet and can output the image data thereof to an external media.
A multifunction printer apparatus that includes an image scanner and a printer and can print an image read by the image scanner has been known (for instance, see Patent Document 1). Further, a printer having a function (a direct print function) connected to a digital still camera or a memory card for a digital still camera to input and print the image data therefrom has been known (for instance, see Patent Document 2). Further, in the digital still camera, the image data is incorporated in a file of a form called an EXIF (Exchangeable Image File Format) file and stored in the memory card (for instance, see Patent Document 3). In this EXIF file, the image data is incorporated in a JPEG form and the data of an image (a thumbnail image) obtained by reducing the image data is also incorporated in the JPEG form. The thumbnail image in the EXIF file can be used to display or print an image list from which, for instance, a user selects an image desired to be printed in the printer,
Patent Document 1: JP-A-2003-087498
Patent Document 2: JP-A-2003-131838
Patent Document 3: JP-A-2002-069392
The above-described direct print function can be mounted on the above-described multifunction printer apparatus including the image scanner. In that case, if not only the image from the memory card for the digital camera can be printed, but also the image read by the image scanner can be stored in the memory card for the digital camera, this will be convenient. Further, in that case, if the image read by the image scanner can be stored in the form of the EXIF file, this will be more convenient, because the image can be treated in the same manner as that of an image photographed by the digital camera.
However, to obtain the image read by the image scanner in the form of the EXIF file, not only a process for compressing a main image as the read image itself to the JPEG form, but also a process for compressing a thumbnail image obtained by reducing the main image to the JPEG form is necessary. However, to form the thumbnail image from the main image, the data of the main image needs to be stored in the multifunction printer apparatus. Accordingly, the multifunction printer apparatus needs to have a memory of large capacity sufficient for holding and processing the data of the main image of large size. Especially, when the image scanner has a function for continuously reading a plurality of images from a photograph film strip, the data of all of the plurality of main images that are continuously read needs to be stored. Thus, a memory having a very large capacity is required. Not only in the multifunction printer apparatus, but also in the single image scanner, when the read image is to be outputted in the form of the EXIF file, the above-described problems arise.